July, 2011

SB 4366 & 4367: Allow Dual Public Transportation Authorities

Senate Bill 4367 amends the Michigan Public Transportation Act of 1986 to allow a county with a population between 240,000 and 255,000 to form more than one public authority.  A public authority here means a provider of public transportation services.  Specifically, this would apply to Kalamazoo County. 

Sponsor: Margaret O’Brien, R- Portage
Current Status: Passed in both the House and Senate, Signed by Governor Snyder on July 27th, 2011

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HB 4842: Create Pesticide Application Registry

HB 889 requires the DEQ to create and maintain a registry of citizens who want to be notified prior to pesticide application on a property that is adjacent to their own. Under this bill, individuals would be notified for application of all pesticides other than general-use, ready-to-use pesticide, and the notification would have to take place at least 24 hours before application. 

Sponsor: Timothy Bledsoe (D - Grosse Pointe) 

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HB 4746: Weaken Natural Resource Extraction Ordinances

Specifies that a zoning ordinance cannot prevent the extraction of valuable natural resources from any property unless "very serious consequences" would result from the extraction.  Currently mining and other operations are subject to the same rational-basis standard that applies to all other types of land use restrictions.  The bill actually goes against a recent 2010 Michigan Supreme Court decision, Kyser v Kasson Township, and chooses to codify a Michigan Supreme Court decision set forth nearly 30 years ago in the 1982 case of Silva v. Ada Township. 

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HB 4577& HB 4579: Pay Certain PILTs on State Land from Natural Resources Trust Fund

The Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund provides funding for local governments and the Department of Natural Resources (DNRE) so that they may purchase lands for public recreation or protection of land.

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SB 0046: Ethanol Production on Zoned Agricultural Land

While ethanol production may be moving us away from fossil fuels, it is not as clean a technology as one might think. Ethanol refineries emit hazardous air pollutants, including nitrogen oxide, which is a key component of smog. Senate Bill 0046 will allow ethanol production on agricultural land. Up to 100,000 gallons ethanol can be produced on farms without being subject to special approval.

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SB 422: Extend Fee Collection Deadline for DEQ Water Programs

The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) administers several programs that are essential to the protection of Michigan’s waters, and it collects fees from the entities that operate under these programs. Senate Bill 422 extends the current deadline on fee collection for these water quality protection programs by two to four years so that the DEQ can continue to collect fees.

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SR 59: Toxic Substance Control Act Reform Resolution

A Great Health Priority

This resolution encourages federal preemption of state's authority to regulate products made and sold within their jurisdiction. States have both the right and responsibility to protect their own citizenry. It also recommends an improper share of the burden of proving chemicals are safe on the EPA rather than on manufacturers.

Sponsor: Thomas Casperson, R - Escanaba

Current Status: Adopted on July 13, 2011

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